


i would rather write 20k words about nicks unhealthy attachment issues than think of a title thank you

by blumenkohl



Category: Archive 81 (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff without Plot, Its not gay if its for a ritual bro, M/M, just roll with it pls, lets be supportive, look hes trying his best, static man silently kinkshaming nick for 900 words, we know nick has issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:29:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27030466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blumenkohl/pseuds/blumenkohl
Summary: convenient non-descript ritualstatic man being a little shit as per usualbut nicholas kind of deserves it so its fine
Relationships: Static Man/Nicholas Waters
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	i would rather write 20k words about nicks unhealthy attachment issues than think of a title thank you

Nicholas took another look at the list. He always had a list, and he always checked it thoroughly before and, whenever he could, throughout a ritual. It was what had kept him alive for so long.  
But this time, they both knew it wasn’t just that. He had gotten pretty good at interpreting Static Man’s instances of silence – they were rare enough – and could tell he was amused. They both knew he was stalling. So he sighed, folded the list and returned it to his pocket.  
  
„Looks like we’re good. That only leaves…“  
  
He looked up and tried to read the way Static Man shifted. The room was small, and the amount of candles they’d had to plaster on just about every surface made it stuffy and uncomfortably warm. The flickering light turned the specter of Arthur’s body – or absence thereof – into hardly more than another shadow, but it flared and wavered, constantly in motion, the vaguely human shape he had taken for this going in and out of focus, like reality itself was moving around. Nicholas felt a wave of nausea and had to turn away. Right. He’d never get used to that.  
When Static Man spoke, his voice was mercifully casual, like he wasn’t clearly cracking up over him playing out time. It also came from the vague direction of his approximation of a body, he didn’t always remember to make sure of that. There was little more irritating than speaking to someone in front of you and being unable to look directly at them, while their voice was sounding from somewhere off to the right. Except, perhaps, that person being Static Man.  
  
“So are you sure this will fly? With me like this?”  
  
Of course, this wasn’t the first time they’d had that conversation. Arthur was giving him a chance to gather his composure. He just knew him that well.  
  
“It should be fine, it is a purely symbolic act and you have participated in rituals before.”  
  
His eyes wandered over the white paint he had spread on the floor according to the ritual's instructions, still checking and screening for small mistakes that could get them in trouble. Still trying to buy time. “Are you sure you won’t grind me into paste?” It didn’t come out as lighthearted as he meant to make it sound.  
  
“How sure can you ever really be of anything?” Nicholas stared angry holes into the empty space to his left. “Dude, I’m kidding, come on. You’ll be a-okay.”  
  
“Fine. Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Nicholas raised his hands in defeat and closed his eyes before stepping over the line of cheap paint that separated them. He could still smell it, even over the scent of burning candles and valerian.  
  
Without seeing him, Static Man could have felt almost normal, mostly solid. But instead of radiating warmth, he gave off something else, something that made Nicholas’ skin prickle and the hair on his arms stand up, and now that his palms were steadily pressed against him, he noticed that although he could be touched, Static Man wasn’t actually completely solid. It wasn’t just his appearance that fluctuated, but he seemed to fade in and out under his touch as well, almost tidal. Almost like a pulse.  
And then he kissed him.  
Despite all assurances, some part of him had been convinced it would be painful, getting so close, being so vulnerable to what he knew to be a devastatingly destructive instrument of murder. It wasn’t. But it was still a shock, like plunging his whole face into a bucket of freezing water. His brain flipped off like a switch, no, like a blown fuse. The feeling drenched every part of him in sunlight, like there was electricity running through him, or maybe, the pathos notwithstanding, like someone had poured carbonated water into him. The touch ebbed away from him like it had before, and he found himself aching for just another moment.  
  
“Nah, dude. Is that tongue you’re trying to slip me the one you used to lick that payphone receiver?”  
  
That was another bucket of cold water, alright. Nicholas' eyes fluttered open. He turned away immediately, because being so close to Static Man’s specter made his stomach lurch, and because he found himself clinging to the vague approximation of his shoulders almost on his toes. His bad knee felt about ready to give in, when he took a quick step back. “I definitely wasn’t-”  
The lines of paint around them had begun to glow ominously, indicating the completion of their ritual. He hadn’t even noticed.  
Nick opened his mouth to say something dismissive, then closed it when he couldn’t think of anything. Even without looking, he felt Static Man’s stare from no eyes.  
  
“No reason to look so smug.”  
  
“I don’t. I don’t even have a face. You should know, you checked pretty thoroughly.”  
  
“… Oh, shut up.” Nice. Witty. That would show him.  
  
Nicholas buried his red face in his hands for a moment, in an attempt to pull himself together. Then he began to clean up the site of the ritual, aggressively disregarding the challenge in Static Man’s silence. His skin was still burning with whatever that touch had made him feel and he had a hunch that it wouldn’t go away so soon. Maybe Christine had a point, as crude as it was. Maybe he did need to get laid some time.


End file.
